The invention relates to the field of vacuum cleaners and in particular an improved vacuum cleaner having an air/water separator hub that operates as an interface between a vacuum motor and an induction chamber. The invention is believed to find most use in the field of wet and dry vacuums where the vacuum motor is designed to create a suction effect within a canister or similar housing water that is taken in along with dirt and dust is separated from the water at the bottom of the assembly. The hub is located at the top of the assembly and serves to further remove water by cyclonic action at the top of the assembly.
While there are wet/dry vacuums that are used in the prior art none of them that the applicant is aware of have a spinning hub at the top of the induction assembly in order to remove the last traces of water from the air stream prior to reaching the motor.
An air and water hub for the separation of excess water is shown and described The hub is constructed at the top of a canister assembly that is used for the induction of air, dust, etc. in the vacuum assembly. The hub may be thought of as a spinning member that rotates within the canister assembly and near the top. The hub may be powered by a shaft that connects the hub to the vacuum motor at the top of the assembly. The hub spins within the circumference of the top of the canister and the rotating action should remove the water by forcing the water against the inside walls of the assembly. A gap between the inner wall and the hub provides for the water to drain downward down the inside of the assembly.
There may be constructed an outer groove running in connection with the hub and on the outside of the induction assembly. The groove is used to hold a sponge or similar type of material that can hold water in order to remove excess water from the top of the inducted air stream as that air stream reaches the top of the canister.
It is among the object of the invention to provide an improved induction canister assembly for wet dry vacuums that has a spinning hub at the top of the assembly for further removal of water from the inducted air stream.
Another objective is to protect the motor located in connection with an induction assembly from coming into contact with excess water.
Another objective is to further the separation of dirt and water from air in a wet/dry vacuum by the action of a spinning hub in connection with an hour glass shaped induction assembly that serves to compress the water and dirt mixture by the centrifugal action of the hub.
Another objective is to enhance the removal of fine grains of dust that may escape from the bag of the vacuum by ejecting dirt through the perforated area of the assembly that is described below.
Other objectives will be apparent to those skilled in the art.